VPK UK & Ireland

03/09/2026

Ecommerce packaging is no longer just a fulfilment detail.

According to ONS, online sales accounted for 27.9% of total retail sales in Great Britain in Q1 2026. That means more than one in four retail purchases is still being made online.

ONS also reported that online spending values were 9.8% higher in the three months to May 2026 than in the same period the previous year.

That puts packaging under pressure from both directions. It needs to protect products through parcel networks, use space efficiently, support faster packing, avoid unnecessary material and still arrive in a condition that reflects well on the brand.

A pack that is too large can increase transport inefficiency. A pack that is under-specified can increase damage risk. A format that is difficult to pack can slow fulfilment. And when returns enter the equation, packaging decisions can affect the cost and complexity of the journey back as well.

For ecommerce businesses, packaging is not just part of the order.

It is part of the operating model.

To discuss ecommerce packaging designed around your products, fulfilment process and customer experience, speak to the VPK Packaging team. https://vpkgroup.pulse.ly/hjyc4uqrsy

28/08/2026

How much air is moving through your supply chain?

Oversized packaging can create hidden costs across a 3PL operation. More warehouse space. More void fill. Poorer pallet and vehicle utilisation. Higher transport costs. Greater pressure during peak periods.

Right-sizing is not about making every pack as small as possible. It is about removing unnecessary space while maintaining the protection needed for storage, handling and delivery. Through our Solution Cycle, we help customers identify where packaging may be adding avoidable cost or complexity, develop alternative solutions and validate their performance before wider rollout.

The result can be better cube utilisation, reduced material use, improved warehouse efficiency and fewer damaged products.

The hidden cost of air is worth measuring.

Read the full article to explore how packaging optimisation can improve logistics performance: https://vpkgroup.pulse.ly/lymc6vcc1d

27/08/2026

Irish dairy is moving further than ever.

With exports reaching €7.3bn, up 14%, and Irish dairy products now shipped to around 140 markets worldwide, the demands on the supply chain continue to grow.

Packaging has to do more than protect what’s inside. It needs to support pallet stability, efficient handling, export logistics, retailer requirements and product presentation.

For Irish dairy businesses, secondary packaging is becoming a key part of supply chain performance.

Made in Ireland. Built for modern supply chains.

Discover more at: https://vpkgroup.pulse.ly/ijwzadp1by

20/08/2026

A packaging concept is only valuable if it can perform in the real world.

That is why Step 4 of our Eight-Step Solution Cycle focuses on validation.

At this stage, the aim is to remove uncertainty before a solution moves into full production. That means testing how packaging performs through handling, stacking, transport, production and route-to-market conditions, while also checking areas such as material performance, structural integrity and brand consistency.

It is not about adding unnecessary complexity. It is about proving that the pack can do the job it has been designed to do.

Through prototyping, sample trials, performance testing and production support, Validate helps identify potential issues early, before they become costly problems later.

Watch the video to see how Step 4 works, then click through to learn more.

Learn more here: https://vpkgroup.pulse.ly/6cu3pxveri

18/08/2026

Export-ready packaging is not just stronger packaging.

It is packaging designed around the full journey.

From production and palletisation to transport, warehousing and retail handling, every stage places different demands on the pack.

That is why VPK Packaging works with customers to understand how packaging performs beyond the factory gate.

Discover more about our Irish manufacturing capabilities: https://vpkgroup.pulse.ly/59wsxbzfhx

11/08/2026

Every great packaging solution starts with an idea.

But turning that idea into something that works in the real world takes expertise, collaboration and a clear process.

In the latest video of our Solution Cycle series, we explore Step 3: Create - where insights become concepts and packaging begins to take shape.

From structural design and material selection to performance requirements and operational considerations, this is where ideas become practical solutions.

Watch now and discover how VPK helps customers create packaging designed to perform from day one.

10/08/2026

Could StackIT be about to stack up its first award?

Our one-piece stackable corrugated packaging solution has been shortlisted for Corrugated Product of the Year at the UK Packaging Awards 2026, and for a format that only reached the market weeks ago, that's a very encouraging start.

StackIT was designed to do something simple: replace the traditional two-piece base and lid with a single corrugated pack that protects the product, stacks with stability and lands shelf-ready in store. One pack, doing the work of two means less complexity across packing, the supply chain and retail.

Join us at the Hilton Park Lane, London, on Wednesday 7 October, where StackIT will be up against some of the most respected names in corrugated. Fingers crossed.

07/08/2026

Packaging complexity can build quickly.

A base. A lid. Multiple components. Different formats. More stock to manage. More handling across packing, transport and retail.

StackIT has been developed to simplify that. Our new one-piece stackable corrugated packaging solution combines product protection, stacking stability and shelf-ready presentation in a single format.

Designed as an alternative to traditional two-piece base and lid solutions, StackIT can help manufacturers, packers and retailers reduce complexity, support efficient packing and palletising, make better use of fixture height and improve replenishment in store.

Read more: https://vpkgroup.pulse.ly/zhm7oc9uti

06/08/2026

One of the biggest misconceptions in ecommerce is that packaging's job ends when the product leaves the warehouse.

In reality, packaging influences far more than product protection. The size, structure and design of a pack affect warehouse efficiency, pallet utilisation, transport costs and even the overall customer experience.

When multiplied across thousands of orders, small inefficiencies quickly become significant operational costs.

What's interesting is that the same decisions that improve efficiency often support sustainability goals too. Reducing wasted space and optimising pack formats can lower material usage while helping products move more efficiently through the supply chain.

The conversation around ecommerce packaging is changing. It's becoming less about the box itself and more about the role packaging plays in the wider operation.

The businesses seeing the greatest value are often the ones treating packaging as part of their operational infrastructure, not simply a product requirement.

Get in touch to discuss how we can help you: https://vpkgroup.pulse.ly/u92tlxfgre

30/07/2026

Irish manufacturing is built on expertise, adaptability and the ability to respond to changing customer demands.

Packaging should support those strengths, not add unnecessary complexity.

Manufacturing corrugated packaging in Ireland allows packaging development to happen closer to the operations it serves. That means working with customers to understand how packs perform across production, warehousing, transport and retail, then identifying opportunities to improve structure, consistency and overall efficiency.

Through our Limerick site, VPK Packaging combines local manufacturing and customer knowledge with the wider expertise of the VPK Group. The result is packaging made in Ireland and built around the needs of Irish businesses.

Discover what local manufacturing can mean for your packaging operation: https://vpkgroup.pulse.ly/jujutcdd0y

Why packaging made in Ireland matters to Irish manufacturers For Irish manufacturers, packaging is not simply something that arrives at the end of production. It influences how products are packed, stored, transported, presented a...